Dome light



'r'. A. @ALT DOME Lxcm Filed Jan. 14. 1927 j @am Patented Dec. s, 1927.

UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. GALT, OF'RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 THE ADLAKECOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DOME LIGHT.

Application iled January 14, 1927. Serial No. 161,119.

provision of a new and improved light shield.

that' is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, unobtrusive tothe sight, elficient in use, and that is not likely to becomel broken ordetached.

Other and further objects and advantages 0f the invention will appearfrom the fob lowing description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bus orvehicle with parts in section and parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the lamp showing the invention inposition therein;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same with the dome and its supportremoved and with the hinge shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a modifiedform of thedevice.

In illuminating busses and the like the lamps or electric lights areusually mounted on the ceiling or under surface of the roof of' the car.rays are confusing to the driver for the reason that the light about himbeing stron er than the light exterior of the vehicle he 1s more or lessblinded by the light within the car. rl"he rays from the lamps withinthe car are often reflected from the windshield or side windows, thusinterfering seriously with the drivers vision and therefore ofteninterfering with the proper control of the car.

It has been proposed in some cases to provide screens exterior of thelamp, and in others to paint the globe of the lamp in orderV tointercept the rays directed toward the shield, but all such ldevices areunsightly and more or less cumbersome and impractical. The presentinvention contemplates the use of a shield that is mounted within CIIBut in this position the light the lamp globe on the reiector in such avposition that it is not visible when the globe or bowl is in position.

The invention is especially adapted to be used in connection withilluminating devices .for busses and the like, and by way of example isthus disclosed. On the dra-wings the reference character 10 designatesabus having the body 11 and the seat 12. The body 11 is -provided with atop wall 13 and with al windshield 14 at its forward end, as is usual`in such constructions. seat is mounted in the front end ofthebody 11 inthe usual manner.

vA plurality of lamps or lights 15 are mounted on the underside of thetop wall or deck of the body 11. These illuminating devices may be ofany suitable form or construction. Iln the form disclosed, which is byway of example only, each lamp comprises a base or bulb support 17having Vthe ring portion 18 which is adapted to be attached to the topor deck of the bus. The

' inner portion of' the support is shaped to form a reflector 19vcarrying the bulb 21. The lamp is provided with a globe or dome 22which is provided with a lateral flange 23 on the free edge of its sidewall for engaging an inwardly extending ledge 24 on the dome support 25.The flange 23 is held in position by a spring ring 26 engaging in arecess 27 in the dome support 25. The support 25 is hinged to the bulbsupport 17 as at 28 and its opposite end is secured in positionby thescrew 29.

It is desirable .that none of the rays of light from the lamps 15 bepermitted to strikeV the windshield 14 or the windows at each side ofthe drivers seat. A screen is provided for intercepting the raysdirected toward the front of the vehicle. In the form of the deviceselected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention a screen 31 isemployed for this purpose. The screen is in the form of a curved bandrigidly attached as by means of .rivets 33 to the shoulder 32 whichextendsvabout the refiector 19. It is ofsufcient width to extendadjacent to the bottom of the dome 22. When the lamp is installed thescreen is turned toward the front so that it will intercept rays oflight that would otherwise strike the windshield and windows at thesides of the driver,

differs from that just described in thatV the screen 310 is castintegral with the shoulder 8%0 of the base or bulb supporting member l0.

In all forms of the device the shield is mounted Within. the housingformed by the lens and dome.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection With ltheaccompanying my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art, andthat various changes in size, shape, proportion and details ofconstruction may be made Without departing from the .spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a dome light for vehicles, a supporting member, a source of lightcarried by said member, a screen extending about one side of said sourceof light, and a dome for enclosing said screen, said dome having itsattaching edge in engagement with said screen.

2. In a dome light for vehicles a base plate having its central portionShaped to form a refiector with a circular shoulder lextending about thesame, a source of light carried by said plate, and a curved screenrigidly attached to said shoulder for intercepting rays of light fromsaid source.

3- In combination, a vehicle provided with drawings that theconstruction and operation of bulb carried by saidbase, and a screencarried by said base for intercepting only the rays of light from saidbulb projected for- Wandlyv above said seat, and a diaphanous domecarried by said base and enclosing said *bulb and screen.'l l

4. In a dome light, a support, said support being shaped to form areflector with a shoulder extending about saidrefiector, a bulb carriedby Said support, a curved screen member, and means for rigidly securingsaid screen to said shoulder.

5. In a dome light for vehicles, a base member, a light bulb carried bysaid member, a lightrintercepting screen member secured to said basemember adjacent to the periphery thereof and extending partially aroundsaid bulb, and a domefor enclosing said screen and bulb, and meanshinged to said base for supporting said dome.

6. In a domelight, a base, an electric light bulb secured to said base,a li ht intercepting screen integral with said ase and adapted to extendpartially around said bulb` and a dome for enclosing said bulb andscreen. v

In testimony whereof I aHix my signature.

THOMAS vA. GALT.

